About Our Judges

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Mary Cruse is the Humboldt County Film Commissioner and Executive Director of the Humboldt County Film Commission. She has an extensive background in film, and has worked with many talented performers.

Mary grew up in Humboldt County, graduating from South Fork High School in 1975. In 1975 I moved to Sacramento, followed by San Diego, Los Angeles, Tampa, Miami and San Francisco. Moved back to Humboldt in 1994, following the death of my father, Jim Demulling.

She met her husband, Tim Cruse, in 1996 and married in 1998. We have 4 grandchildren - ranging in ages 4 to 19. Her hobbies include photography, motorcycling, kayaking, watching movies, cooking, attending film festivals, and spending time with her two dogs Cosmo and Ray. She played clarinet in the high school jazz band and at theatre productions and sang in the Show Choir. 

Jolene Hayes has been a full-time voice and performance teacher in Humboldt County for the past 20 years.  She has taught voice to students of all ages and all styles of music such as Pop, Broadway, Jazz, Blues and Opera, as well as, helped students compose and perform their own music.  Jolene has performed in many local musical and non-musical theater productions including leading and supporting roles in “Chicago”, “My Way, a Frank Sinatra Review”, “Pirates of Penzance”, “Cabaret”, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”, “Jake’s Women” and “Painting Churches”.  Over the years she has also created and produced her own one-woman shows and numerous cabaret revues and was a singer in the jazz trio band called, The Tritones.

Jolene studied voice privately in Sacramento, Ca.  She is a Past and Founding President of The Northern California Vocal Artist’s Association in Sacramento and Past Board Member of North Coast Repertory Theater in Eureka.

Jolene resides in Eureka, California where she continues to teach voice and develop a practice as a Certified Hypnotherapist.

Monica Topping is the host of the Slug Festivities Guide and weekend mid-day DJ on 94.1 KSLG-FM. She is also a writer and photographer, and has her own website, RadioRadioHumboldt.com.

Monica has worked in radio for more than a quarter of her life and finally got her Journalism degree from HSU last spring. She’s thankful to be able to say that her life revolves around music and, especially, supporting the local live music scene. She is the 2004 Rutabaga Queen, and current president of Kinetic Universe, Inc. Monica knows that it takes a lot of courage and lack of shame to get up on stage and entertain a crowd, and loves to see talent willing to exhibit those qualities, especially for a good cause.

Monica was a councilor at North Star Quest Camp for her first time, last summer, and appreciates Soroptimist International of Arcata’s efforts in supporting the camp for middle-school-aged girls, as well as CASA and so many other community programs.